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A few (potential) lessons: let students explore their own ideas and interests; do not micromanage unless strictly necessary; and enable them as much as possible with resources, connections, solutions to the problems they run into, etc.!
While this is an impressive array of talent, over 80% of the researchers Russ brags about were (self-) advised while he was juggling academic duties with major executive roles at Apple or Meta. He's not alone in this respect. Elite programs attract talent that buoys the lab, giving advisors the bandwidth to juggle significant outside roles. I'd be careful about assigning too much credit to the advisor and not enough to the students' raw talent and self-discipline.
Lol I think Peyman @docmilanfar really likes me. I don't actually know him, but I'm deeply honored by his encyclopedic knowledge of my academic and industry career 😆. But jokes aside, my current and former students at CMU (and Toronto) are absolutely exceptional, self-directed, very independent in shaping and driving their own research agenda, and with impeccable work ethic, much like so many students at CMU. A student's success is also determined not only by their advisor, but also by the environment in which they grow. There is something genuinely special about CMU. It is a very collaborative place with an extraordinary concentration of talented, hardworking, and motivated students. Doing PhD is never easy, it is a lot of very very hard work, especially at a place like CMU. But many of these students will go on to become leaders in academia and industry, professors at top universities, founders, CEOs, and pioneers of new fields. And I will certainly continue to celebrate my students’ achievements, their scientific breakthroughs, and the impact they have on the world.
While this is an impressive array of talent, over 80% of the researchers Russ brags about were (self-) advised while he was juggling academic duties with major executive roles at Apple or Meta. He's not alone in this respect. Elite programs attract talent that buoys the lab, giving advisors the bandwidth to juggle significant outside roles. I'd be careful about assigning too much credit to the advisor and not enough to the students' raw talent and self-discipline.